Roll film camera construction enabling cutting of exposed film



Dec. 27, 1955 A. c. MAYO 2,728,230

Nou. FILM CAMERA CONSTRUCTION ENNBLINC CUTTING oF ExPosED FILM Filed sept. 25, 195o INV NTOR United States Patent O ROLL FILM CAMERA CONSTRUCTION ENABLXNG CUTTING OF EXPOSED FILM Alfred Croger Mayo, Richmond, England Application September 25, 1950, Serial No. 186,546

Claims priority, application Great Britain October 5, 1949 1 Claim. (Cl. 95-31) This invention relates to photographic cameras, and has for its object to provide a roll-film camera in which there is provision for the removal, for processing, of the exposed portion of the lilm after any number of exposures less than that using up the whole of a roll of lm inserted in the camera has been made, without disturbing the unexposed party of the tilm in the camera.

In a roll-film camera according to the invention, the iilm, after passing across the picture gate, passes through a light-tight partition separating from the main body of the camera a film-receiving compartment adapted to be opened to provide access to the exposed iilm.

in one form of roll-film camera according to the invention a light-tight partition is provided between the picture gate and a nlm-receiving compartment into which the exposed iilm is propelled, the light-tight partition having a slot for the passage of the film, and the lrn receiving compartment having a removable light-tight cover.

A removable film magazine is preferably provided to house the unexposed iilm, the said magazine comprising a light-tight box having a slot for the exit of the im.

The invention is hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a rear perspective view of one form of camera according to the invention;

Figure 2 is an exploded view showing, in perspective, the various parts of the case of the camera shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a transverse section on the line 3*?, of Figure i, the internal mechanism of the camera being omitted, and

Figure 4 is a detail.

`Referring to the drawings, the camera comprises a case the front wall 1i) of which supports a lens mount 11, and a detachable chassis, shown in chain dotted lines at 12, which supports the shutter, the shutter operating mechanism, and the lilm-winding mechanism, the latter including a spindle carrying toothed wheels, which is indicated in chain-dotted lines at 13 in Figure 3.

The case is in four parts, one of which, 14 comprises the front wall 10, a top 15, and a partition 16. This part of the casing supports the chassis 12 carrying the mechanism. A second part 17 of the case includes the back wall 18 and a base 19, the latter extending, at one end, only to a point corresponding to the position of the par- The third part is a lighttight film magazine and having a removable end 21; and the fourth part is an end cover 22.

The top which extends the full length of the camera, has flanges 23 around its end portions, and a wider iiange 24 along its rear edge. The front wall 10 has an inturned ilange 25 at its end opposite to the partition 16, and the partition 16 is grooved at its front, back and bottom edges, as shown at 26.

The base 19 is flanged about the whole of its periphery except where it is joined to the back, the ilange being ythe edge of the 2,728,280 Patented Dec. 27, 1955 ICC shown at 27, and the back wall 28 at both ends.

The light-tight container 20 is shaped at its ends to correspond to the shape of the ends of the base 19 and top 15, and has a fiat wall 29 on its side which faces the interior of the camera, the edges of this wall at the sides and bottom being grooved as shown at 30. In the iiat wall 29 there is formed a slot 31, lined with felt or like material 32 to render it light-tight.

The end cover 22 comprises an end wall 33 corresponding in shape to the outline of the end of the camera, and a base 34, the upright edges of the end `wall, and base which meets the main base 19, being provided with inturned flanges 35.

The partition 16 is cut away at its rear edge, as shown at 36, and a bar 37 is hinged to the partition below the cutaway portion, by means of ears 33 on the bar projecting on opposite sides of the partition.

The bar has similar ears 39 at its other end to locate it laterally on the partition, and, when set parallel to the edge of the partition forms, with the edge of the cutaway portion, a slot 41 to receive the film, the sides of the siot being lined with felt or like material 42 to render it light-tight. The outer side of the bar is grooved to correspond with the groove 26 in the partition.

The end cover 22 is provided at its upper end with an inturned lug 43 which is engaged, to lock the end cover in position, by a latch 44 mounted on the inner face of the top of the camera and operated from the exterior by a knob 45.

The camera case is opened for loading by removing the end cover 22 and the part 17, thus releasing the film magazine 20. The magazine 20 receives either a casette 40 containing a perforated lilm, or a roll of film may be placed directly in the magazine, without a casette. The end of the film is brought out through the slot 31. The end 21 of the mt gazine is replaced, and the magazine is iitted on to the part 14 with the flange 25 located in the groove 30 along one edge of the magazine, the top of the magazine fitting within the flange 23 of the top. The iilm is then drawn out across the back of the camera, underneath a back plate 46, shown in chain-dotted lines in Fig. 3 which holds it in engagement with the teeth of the wheels on the spindle 13, and underneath the bar 37. The part 17 is then relitted, the flanges 28 iitting in the grooves 30 and 26 respectively, and the parts of the flange 27 lying outside the front wall l0 and the lower edge oi the magazine, that part of the said iiange which extends across the end of the base which meets the lower edge of the partition 16 entering the groove in the lower edge of the partition. A rib 47 extending across the base enters the groove in the lower edge of the wall 29 of the magazine, and the upper edge of the back lits inside the ilange 24 of the top. Suitable catches (not shown) are provided for securing the parts 14 and 17 together.

yThe end of the film projecting through the partition 16 is led into a casette 48 through the usual slot therein, and the casette is covered by the end cover 22 which slides upwardly into position, its lianges entering the grooves 26 in the edges of the partition, and its upper edge fitting inside the flange 23 on the top. The end cover 22 is locked in position by the latch 44.

The tilin, as it is used, is pushed into the casette 48 by the rotation of the spindle 13, and it will be apparent that any used length of lilm can be removed by releasing and removing the end cover 22, and severing the film between the partition and the casette 48, without disturbing the remainder of the film. The end of the remaining film is fed into a new casette, and the end cover replaced.

it will be appreciated that the camera described above can be loaded, and the portions of used film removed, without the use of a dark room.

18 has inturned flanges I claim:

A roll lrn camera having a casing comprising front, rear, top and bottom wallsdening a lm exposing compartment, said top wall projecting lat one end beyond the end of said compartment, a light-tight partition closing the end of said lm exposing compartment and having a light-tight slot therein for the passage of a lrn and an open channel-shaped cover including an end wall at one end only, said cover defining with said projecting top wall and light-tight partition a separate lighntight cornpartment to receive the exposed lm, said light-tight partition having grooves at its edges, said cover having anges tting slidably into said grooves, said light-tight partition being cut away at one edge, and a bar hinged to said partition and dening, with said cut-away portion, the lighttight slot in the partition.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Grillone Aug. 8, 1922 Goldhanrner Feb. 9, 1937 Harvey iuly 9, 1946 Simon et al. May 3, 1949 Swenson Dec. 27, 1949 Curioni Mar. 13, 1951 Kirby et al Apr. 8, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany inne 12, 1922 Great Britain July 14, 1927 Great Britain Apr. 10, 1930 Germany Sept. 5, 1933 Germany Sept. 9, 1937 Great Britain Aug. 9, 1944 

